The Marquise of O

The Marquise of O (German: Die Marquise von O) is a novella by Heinrich von Kleist on the subject of forced seduction. It was first published in 1808.

The story begins with a one-sentence paragraph, in which the widowed Marquise von O. places an announcement in the newspapers in a prominent north Italian town, to the effect that she is pregnant and wishes the father of her child to make himself known to her so that she can marry him.

We learn that the Marquise, a widow, is the daughter of a Colonel G., who was in charge of the citadel of the town M. Some time earlier, when the Napoleonic Wars came to Italy, the citadel was overrun by Russian forces, and in the confusion, the Marquise found herself about to be raped by a gang of Russian soldiers. However, she is saved by the Russian commander of the attack, Count F., who appears to her like an angel. After he brings her to safety she falls unconscious. The Count then completes the business of the storming, rescuing gunpowder and putting out a fire, attaining the surrender of the last pockets of resistance and garrisoning the fort with his own troops. He leaves before the Marquise can thank him. They receive news shortly thereafter that he has been killed in the nearby fighting. His last words are reported as "Giulietta, this bullet avenges you!" ("Julietta! Diese Kugel rächt dich!" in the original German). The Marquise is intrigued that someone the Count knows so well should have the same name that she does, Giulietta.

The reports of his death were false, however, because at the conclusion of the war the Count appears at the house of Colonel G. and asks to marry the Marquise. He is quite insistent that they should be married immediately, though he seems to understand that it is unreasonable that such a thing should happen when the couple hardly know each other. The family agrees that the Count should stay at their house in order for him to get to know the Marquise, since the match seems to be a good one. However, the Count has a pressing military duty in another town and will be abandoning his post if he stays. They convince him that he should go, so that he will not lose his military post (which would make him a poor suitor) and that the Marquise will entertain no other prospective husband in his absence. While he is away, the Marquise finds herself pregnant. Although the symptoms of her pregnancy are clear, she is reluctant to believe it, as is the Colonel’s wife, her mother. They both accept the reality only after it is confirmed by a doctor and a midwife.

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